September 23rd, 2008

BA Names Soto to Midwest League Top Ten

Neftali Soto

All Star Group is proud to announce that client Neftali Soto has been named the Midwest League's tenth top prospect for 2008 by Baseball America. Soto becomes the second ASG client in the last week to receive such recognition. Last week BA included fellow ASG client Angel Morales in its Appalachian League top ten prospect list.

Although he only played half a season in the Midwest League, Soto quickly established himself as a force in the Dayton Dragon's lineup. Batting mostly in the third hole in between top prospects Zach Cozart and Brandon Waring, Soto showed plus bat speed and the developing power that led him to break Juan Gonzalez' youth homerun record in Puerto Rico prior to the 2007 draft.

In fifty-two games with the Dragons Soto hit .326/.343/.500 with seven homeruns, fifteen doubles and thirty-six RBI. Before joining the Dragons Neftali has a brief stint with the Billings Mustangs of the Rookie Pionner League, with whom he hit .388/.423/.746 in fifteen games. Between the two levels Soto finished the year with a .340/.362/.558 line with eleven homeruns and forty-seven RBI in sixty-seven games.

Neftali is currently attending the Reds' instructional league in Sarasota, Florida, after which he will be active in the Puerto Rico Baseball League with the Santurce Crabbers.